asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government will make an offer of temporary asylum in Ireland to the Vashchenko and Chmykhalov families, seven members of whom took refuge in the American Embassy in Moscow in June 1978.
416.
Written Answers. - Soviet Union Human Rights Violations.
415.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government will make bilateral representations to the Government of the Soviet Union concerning the plight of the Vashchenko and Chmykhalov families who have been seeking to emigrate for 20 years and in particular on behalf of Lida Vashchenko who has recently returned to her home town of Chernogorsk from the American Embassy in Moscow.
417.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether he will express Ireland's concern to the Soviet authorities at the treatment of the "Siberian Seven" who remain prisoners in the American Embassy in Moscow; and, in particular, if he will draw the attention of the Soviet authorities to the fact that they are obliged by virtue of their international agreements to permit the group to emigrate as it is their wish to do so.
423.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he is aware of the continued harassment experienced by Soviet Jews within the USSR in regard to the legitimate pursuit of their cultural and religious activities there; and if he is prepared to make direct representations to the Soviet Government to ensure that all of the provisions of the Helsinki Final Act are fully implemented within the Soviet Union.
424.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that the Soviet authorities have threatened Mr. Pavel Abramovich that he must stop his activities as a Hebrew teacher within the Soviet Union and that this is in breach of the provisions of the Helsinki Final Act to which both Ireland and the Soviet Union are common signatories; if he will make known to the Houses of the Oireachtas the action his Government propose to take in relation to this matter and related matters concerning the plight of Soviet Jews; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
425.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the contacts the Irish Government had directly and indirectly with the representatives of the Soviet Union in Dublin and within the context of the Madrid Conference regarding the specific questions arising from the continued harassment by the Soviet authorities of Soviet Jewish citizens who wish to pursue their legal rights in relation to matters of the practice of religion and the pursuit of culture in relation to their own officially recognised nationality.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 415, 416, 417, 423, 424, and 425 together.
The Government of the Soviet Union are well aware of the Irish Government's deep concern about human rights violations in the Soviet Union. We have in the past availed of all appropriate opportunities for expressing this concern and will continue to do so in the future. In general we feel that our views are most effectively conveyed through multilateral channels particularly the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe. At the Madrid CSCE meeting the Irish delegation in numerous statements has called attention to the violations of the humanitarian provisions of the Helsinki Final Act by the Soviet Union and other Eastern European countries.
As regards the two families known as the "Siberian Seven" mentioned by Deputies Quinn and Birmingham, the Government share the widespread sympathy for their plight. My Department are following their situation particularly closely at present. The Deputies will be aware that Lida Vashchenko applied once again for an exit visa on her return to Chernogorsk. Since by her return to Chernogorsk Ms. Vashchenko has fulfilled the condition insisted upon by the Soviet authorities of application from her home region, we now look to the Soviet authorities to respond favourably to her request for an exit visa. Such a favourable response would represent a break-through which we hope would be followed by further positive developments in relation to other members of the group.
It seems clear that the real difficulty for these families is not in which Western country to live but how to obtain permission to leave the Soviet Union. I therefore do not consider that an offer of temporary asylum in Ireland would be very useful or relevant to their present problems. If indeed the families were to indicate a wish to come to Ireland, we would certainly consider such a request sympathetically.
Deputy Quinn has asked a number of questions relating to the harassment by the Soviet authorities of Soviet Jewish citizens and I should like to assure him that I am aware of and concerned by this problem. The reduction in exit visas granted to Soviet Jews, the concerted moves against the cultural seminars organised in Jewish circles, the restrictive attitude to the teaching of Hebrew, all are contrary to the letter and spirit of the Helsinki Final Act. We have noted the difficulties and hardships encountered by Pavel Abramovich and others like him in their campaign to have the private tuition of modern Hebrew recognised as a legitimate profession.
It is my intention to ensure that, when the Madrid meeting resumes in November, the Irish delegation will continue to underline our concern at these developments. We are also ready to convey our views bilaterally in circumstances where this would seem appropriate and effective; it is my general view, however, that bilateral channels are best used sparingly if they are to be effective.